International Center on Nonviolent Conflict

The International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) has been accused by critics of acting in the service of imperialism, and was founded by Council on Foreign Relations board member, Peter Ackerman. Despite these criticisms the ICNC describes itself as "an independent, nonprofit educational foundation that develops and encourages the study and use of civilian-based, nonmilitary strategies to establish and defend human rights, democracy and justice worldwide." For further details of the long-running debate between critical scholars and the ICNC, see http://michaeljamesbarker.wordpress.com/icnc/

The ICNC states that it "uses television broadcast networks, the Internet, and off-air and offline media to disseminate video programming and books" to help "promote the history and ideas of nonviolent conflict in open or closed societies where rights or self-determination are at issue." It also "conducts meetings and briefings, co-sponsors conferences, and makes available articles and features, to encourage international institutions and decision makers to support civilian-based, nonviolent movements."

2006 Principals

 * Peter Ackerman – Chair
 * Jack DuVall – President
 * Berel Rodal – Vice-Chair
 * Hardy Merriman - Director, Programs and Research (replaced Kim Hedge)
 * Shaazka Beyerle – Senior Advisor (former VP)
 * Maria J. Stephan - Manager of Educational Initiatives
 * Source

In 2007, their website also listed two new additions to their staff:
 * Vanessa Ortiz, Director, Civic and Field Relations
 * Althea Middleton-Detzner, Assistant Director, Programs and Research
 * Stephen Zunes – Chair of the board of academic advisers

In 2010, they added another six members of staff:
 * Maciej Bartkowski, Senior Director, Education and Research
 * Nicola Barrach, Associate Director, Policy and Institutional Relations
 * Daryn Cambridge, Educational Advisor
 * Suravi Bhandary - Program Assistant
 * Anne-Marie Codur - Senior Advisor
 * Jake Fitzpatrick - Content Development Associate

Academic Advisory Board (2010)
Accessed March 2010:


 * Stephen Zunes - Professor of Politics and International Studies, University of San Francisco; Chair, ICNC Academic Advisors Committee
 * Howard Barrell - Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University
 * Cynthia Boaz - Assistant Professor of Political Science, Sonoma State University
 * Roddy Brett - Professor, Universidad del Rosario
 * Erica Chenoweth - Assistant Professor of Government, Wesleyan University
 * Janet Cherry - Senior Lecturer in Development Studies, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
 * Kevin Clements - Chair of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Otago
 * Barry Gan - Professor of Philosophy, St. Bonaventure University
 * John Gould - Associate Professor of Political Science, Colorado College
 * Mary King - Distinguished Scholar, American University Center for Global Peace
 * Lester Kurtz - Professor of Sociology, George Mason University
 * Brian Martin - Professor of Social Sciences, University of Wollongong, Australia
 * Scott O'Bryan - Associate Professor of East Asian Languages and Culture, University of Indiana
 * Lee Smithey - Assistant Professor of Sociology, Swarthmore College
 * Kurt Schock - Associate Professor of Sociology and Global Affairs, Rutgers University
 * Victoria Tin-bor Hui - Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Notre Dame
 * Stellan Vinthagen - Professor, Goteborg University

The list of board members was first placed online in March 2010. Prior to this, frequent requests to the ICNC by email for details of these board members were ignored.

Funding
On its website it states that it "is funded entirely by the family philanthropy of the founding chair." (Peter Ackerman). It also states that "It does not accept funding from any government." 

A Force More Powerful
In 2000, Peter Ackerman and Jack DuVall published the book A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict. Since then the book has been made into a documentary and computer game with the same name. The film was directed and produced by Steve York of York Zimmerman Inc., who also served as the main advisor for the production of the computer game. 

Strategic Nonviolent Conflict: Lessons from the Past, Ideas for the Future
In 2002 the USIP released a report titled Strategic Nonviolent Conflict: Lessons from the Past, Ideas for the Future which was the "product of a conference co-sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace and the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC)... The report was written by USIP staff members John T. Crist, program officer in the fellowship program, Harriet Hentges, executive vice president, and Daniel Serwer, director of the Balkans Initiative, with assistance from Samantha Williams, program officer in the Research and Studies Program, and consultation and editing by ICNC chair Peter Ackerman and director Jack DuVall."

The Evolution of People Power and Nonviolent Conflict: Best Practices and Future Applications
"In collaboration with International Center on Nonviolent Conflict" the USIP hosted a panel discussion on September 6, 2006, titled The Evolution of People Power and Nonviolent Conflict: Best Practices and Future Applications. Speakers included Peter Ackerman, Steve York, Srdja Popovic, Slobodan Djinovic, Andrej Milivojevic, James O'Brien (Commentator; former Special Presidential Envoy for the Balkans and Senior Advisor to the Secretary, Principal, The Albright Group), and   Carola Weil, (Moderator;  U.S. Institute of Peace).

International Conference on Civil Resistance and Power Politics
In 2006, a conference was "organised jointly by the Centre for International Studies at Oxford University's Department of Politics and International Relations and the European Studies Centre at St Antony's College. It is generously funded by the International Center for Nonviolent Conflict, Washington DC; the Zeit Foundation, Hamburg; and the Canadian government."

The conference was also sponsored by the USIP, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, British Academy, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway.

For more details see International Conference on Civil Resistance and Power Politics

Freedom House Study
In 2005 "A major new study released today by Freedom House shows that nonviolent "people power" movements are the strongest force in most successful transitions to democracy". "Freedom House prepared the study with support from the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict".

Contact Details
Website: www.nonviolent-conflict.org

SourceWatch Resources

 * Gandhi Project
 * Kristina Mani
 * Michael Glennon
 * Deena Patriarca
 * Borah Foundation
 * Althea Middleton-Detzner, Program and Research Associate, International Center on Nonviolent Conflict
 * Jubitz Family Foundation
 * Anika Binnendijk
 * Stellen Vinthagen
 * Tom Hastings
 * Janet Cherry
 * Philippe Duhamel

Critical Resources

 * International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, Neocon Europe, accessed 14 May, 2009.
 * Jack Duvall, "Gollinger interview", Letter to the Editor, Green Left Weekly, July 22, 2007.
 * Michael Barker, "Promoting ‘democracy’ through civil disobedience", Green Left Weekly, August 25, 2007.
 * Stephen Zunes, "Inaccurate and unfair attacks on the ICNC", Green Left Weekly, August 31, 2007.
 * Stephen Zunes, "Additional inaccurate and unfair attacks against the ICNC", Green Left Weekly, October 6, 2007.
 * Michael Barker, "An accurate and fair critique of the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict", Green Left Weekly, September 22, 2007.
 * Michael Barker, "'False accusations and major leaps of logic'", Green Left Weekly, December 10, 2007.
 * Stephen Zunes, "Opposing imperialism", Green Left Weekly, March 1, 2008.
 * INCN, Refutation of Stephen Gowans' article, "The US attempted color revolution in Iran: The role and aims of US democracy promotion in the attempted color revolution in Iran." July 7, 2009.
 * Stephen Gowans, "Overthrow Inc.: Peter Ackerman’s quest to do what the CIA used to so, and make it seem progressive", What's Left, August 6, 2009.
 * Michael Barker, "People Power in Egypt: Defusing a Revolution?" (pdf), Countercurrents, March 15, 2011.